"What does it mean to be human? Asks acclaimed psychologist and talk show host Dan Gottlieb at the beginning of this award-winning book.

The answers are within this audio book.

With the gentle and guiding voice that has endeared him to millions of readers and listeners, Dan describes how we gain deeper wisdom and understanding from the unexpected events in our lives. A classic storyteller, Dan provides tender and deeply affecting "lessons" that reveal his own very human vulnerability as well as the love and generosity of others.

These revelations come from an author who has experienced many forms of loss in his own life. From the moment he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him quadriplegic at the age of thirty-three, Dan found himself facing the kinds of questions that most people encounter over the course of a lifetime. In the process of rebuilding his career, his family, and his life, Dan made discoveries about what all humans have in common, including a longing for love, understanding, and security. And he learned that the speed of life only takes us further away from what we long for.

In this audio, Dan is unstintingly generous in sharing the thoughts and feelings that have touched the lives of so many. From "Our Orphanhood" (why the universality of loneliness can make us feel less alone) and "We, the Wounded" (how wounds may be inevitable, but so is healing) to "What Our Children See" (how parental stress can shape a child's future) and "Holding My Mother's Hand" (a moving recollection on the death of a parent), Dan reflects on the challenges that all of us face as humans and the feelings that, too often, we do not allow to surface.

And, finally, Dan succeeds in answering the primary question: What does it mean to be human? His answers-challenging and reassuring, humorous and transcendent-are sure to touch the heart of every listener.

Quotes & Awards

“You have to love a self-help book that extols doing nothing: The truth
is, says Gottlieb, if we become comfortable with who we are rather than
who we think we should be, then we will be less insecure.”

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Listener Opinions

Jim | 8/27/2013

" A good,quick read of all the ideas and principles that a person needs to know and do, but not necessarily said in a way to inspire. "

Roberta Sallee | 6/14/2013

" I liked it enough to start reading it at work and then took it out of the library to finish, but then never did. Maybe someday.... "

Shahd | 4/2/2013

" So glad that I am done reading it. It made me feel more deppressd I don't know why. "

Stephanie | 1/13/2013

" This book is a good reminder to not take life so seriously, to appreciate my life and everyone in it, and to be present when I am with people I love (instead of multi-tasking like we busy mom's do!) "

Amy | 12/26/2012

" Calming... that is how I would describe this book in one word. Reading it gave me a kind of inner peace. Daniel Gottlieb made me feel more at ease with myself, and let me know that the world isn't going to end just because something negative happened. Highly recommend this book to anyone... "

Justine | 12/19/2012

" Sweet book on living life...quick read. "

Terry | 10/2/2012

" This book contains a lot of wisdom about living life and about being comfortable with who we are, not who we hope to become. There's something we can all learn from the author's observations and candid revelations. "

Jeff Stevens | 9/27/2012

" A wonderful little book, genuinely full of genuine wisdom. No sentimentality, just honest and insights from a writer who has seized an opportunity provided by personal adversity to reflect on his life. "

Stacey | 3/15/2012

" This book had some beautiful ways of looking at life. I had a number of aha moments that will stay with me for some time. "

Other Titles by Daniel Gottlieb:

About the Author

Daniel Gottlieb, a practicing psychologist and family therapist, serves as the host of Voices in the Family, an award-winning mental health call-in show on WHYY, Philadelphia’s much-respected public radio station. He is the author of numerous books, including Letters to Sam, Learning from the Heart, Voices of Conflict, and Voices in the Family. He lectures locally and nationally on a variety of topics affecting the well-being of people, families, and the larger community.

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